son vin par rapport a Mylord B…； when that shall come to be known；
as known it certainly will soon be； he may bid adieu to his popularity。
A minister； as minister； is very apt to be the object of public dislike；
and a favorite； as favorite； still more so。 If any event of this kind
happens； which （if it happens at all） I conjecture will be some time next
week； you shall hear further from me。
I will follow your advice； and be as well as I can next winter； though I
know I shall never be free from my flying rheumatic pains； as long as I
live； but whether that will be more or less； is extremely indifferent to
me； in either case；
God bless you！
LETTER CCLXXXVIII
BLACKHEATH； August 1； 1766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： The curtain was at last drawn up； the day before
yesterday； and discovered the new actors； together with some of the old
ones。 I do not name them to you； because to…morrow's Gazette will do it
full as well as I could。 Mr。 Pitt； who had carte blanche given him；
named everyone of them： but what would you think he named himself for？
Lord Privy Seal； and （what will astonish you； as it does every mortal
here） Earl of Chatham。 The joke here is； that he has had A FALL UP
STAIRS； and has done himself so much hurt； that he will never be able to
stand upon his leg's again。 Everybody is puzzled how to account for this
step ； though it would not be the first time that great abilities have
been duped by low cunning。 But be it what it will； he is now certainly
only Earl of Chatham； and no longer Mr。 Pitt； in any respect whatever。
Such an event； I believe； was never read nor heard of。 To withdraw；
in the fullness of his power and in the utmost gratification of his
ambition； from the House of Commons （which procured him his power； and
which could alone insure it to him）； and to go into that hospital of
incurables； the House of Lords； is a measure so unaccountable； that
nothing but proof positive could have made me believe it： but true it is。
Hans Stanley is to go Ambassador to Russia； and my nephew； Ellis； to
Spain； decorated with the red riband。 Lord Shelburne is your Secretary
of State； which I suppose he has notified to you this post； by a circular
letter。 Charles Townshend has now the sole management of the House of
Commons； but how long he will be content to be only Lord Chatham's
vicegerent there； is a question which I will not pretend to decide。
There is one very bad sign for Lord Chatham； in his new dignity； which
is； that all his enemies； without exception； rejoice at it； and all his
friends are stupefied and dumbfounded。 If I mistake not much； he will；
in the course of a year； enjoy perfect 'otium cum dignitate'。 Enough of
politics。
Is the fair； or at least the fat； Miss C with you still ？ It must be
confessed that she knows the arts of courts； to be so received at
Dresden； and so connived at in Leicester…fields。
There never was so wet a summer as this has been； in the memory of man；
we have not had one single day； since March； without some rain； but most
days a great deal。 I hope that does not affect your health； as great
cold does； for； with all these inundations； it has not been cold。 God
bless you！
LETTER CCLXXXIX
BLACKHEATH； August 14； 1766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I received yesterday your letter of the 30th past； and I
find by it that it crossed mine upon the road； where they had no time to
take notice of one another。
The newspapers have informed you； before now； of the changes actually
made； more will probably follow； but what； I am sure； I cannot tell you；
and I believe nobody can； not even those who are to make them： they will；
I suppose； be occasional； as people behave themselves。 The causes and
consequences of Mr。 Pitt's quarrel now appear in print； in a pamphlet
published by Lord T； and in a refutation of it； not by Mr。 Pitt
himself； I believe； but by some friend of his； and under his sanction。
The former is very scurrilous and scandalous； and betrays private
conversation。 My Lord says； that in his last conference； he thought he
had as good a right to nominate the new Ministry as Mr。 Pitt； and
consequently named Lord G…； Lord L； etc。； for Cabinet Council
employments； which Mr。 Pitt not consenting to； Lord T… broke up the
conference； and in his wrath went to Stowe； where I presume he may remain
undisturbed a great while； since Mr。 Pitt will neither be willing nor
able to send for him again。 The pamphlet； on the part of Mr。 Pitt； gives
an account of his whole political life ； and； in that respect； is tedious
to those who were acquainted with it before； but； at the latter end；
there is an article that expresses such supreme contempt of Lord T…；
and in so pretty a manner； that I suspect it to be Mr。 Pitt's own： you
shall judge yourself； for I here transcribe the article： 〃But this I will
be bold to say； that had he （Lord T…） not fastened himself into
Mr。 Pitt's train； and acquired thereby such an interest in that great
man； he might have crept out of life with as little notice as he crept
in； and gone off with no other degree of credit； than that of adding a
single unit to the bills of mortality〃 I wish I could send you all the
pamphlets and half…sheets that swarm here upon this occasion； but that is
impossible； for every week would make a ship's cargo。 It is certain；
that Mr。 Pitt has； by his dignity of Earl； lost the greatest part of his
popularity； especially in the city； and I believe the Opposition will be
very strong； and perhaps prevail； next session； in the House of Commons；
there being now nobody there who can have the authority and ascendant
over them that Pitt had。
People tell me here； as young Harvey told you at Dresden； that I look
very well； but those are words of course； which everyone says to
everybody。 So far is true； that I am better than at my age； and with my
broken constitution； I could have expected to be。 God bless you！
LETTER CCXC
BLACKHEATH； September 12； 1766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I have this moment received your letter of the 27th past。
I was in hopes that your course of waters this year at Baden would have
given you a longer reprieve from your painful complaint。 If I do not
mistake； you carried over with you some of Dr。 Monsey's powders。 Have
you taken any of them； and have they done you any good ？ I know they did
me a great deal。 I； who pretend to some skill in physic； advise a cool
regimen； and cooling medicines。
I do not wonder； that you do wonder； at Lord C…'s conduct。 If he was
not outwitted into his peerage by Lord B； his accepting it is utterly
inexplicable。 The instruments he has chosen for the great office；
I believe； will never fit the same case。 It was cruel to put such a boy
as Lord G… over the head of old Ligonier； and if I had been the former；
I would have refused that commission； during the life of that honest and
brave old general。 All this to quiet the Duke of R to a resignation；
and to make Lord B Lieutenant of Ireland； where； I will venture to
prophesy； that he will not do。 Ligonier was much pressed to give up his
regiment of guards； but would by no means do it； and declared that the
King might break him if he pleased； but that he would certainly not break
himself。
I have no political events to inform you of； they will not be ripe till
the meeting of the parliament。 Immediately upon the receipt of this
letter； write me one； to acquaint me how you are。
God bless you； and； particularly； may He send you health； for that is the
greatest blessing！
LETTER CCXCI
BLACKHEATH； September 30； 1766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： I received； yesterday； with great pleasure； your letter
of the 18th； by which I consider this last ugly bout as over； and； to
prevent its return； I greatly approve of your plan for the south of
France； where I recommend for your principal residence； Pezenas Toulouse；
or Bordeaux； but do not be persuaded to go to Aix en Provence； which； by
experience； I know to be at once the hottest and the coldest place in the
world； from the ardor of the Provencal sun； and the sharpness of the
Alpine winds。 I also earnestly recommend to you； for your complaint upon
your breast； to take； twice a…day； asses' or （what is better mares' milk；
and that for these six months at least。 Mingle turnips； as much as you
can； with your diet。
I have written； as you desired； to Mr。 Secretary Conway； but I will
answer for it that there will be no difficulty to obtain the leave you
ask。
There is no new event in the political world since my last； so God bless
you！
LETTER CCXCII
LONDON； October 29； 7766。
MY DEAR FRIEND： The last mail brought me your letter of the 17th。 I am
glad to hear that your breast is so much better。 You will find both
asses' and mares' milk enough in the south of France； where it was much
drank when I was there。 Guy Patin recommends to a patient to have no
doctor but a horse； and no apothecary but an ass。 As for your pains and
weakness in your limbs； 'je vous en offre autant'； I have never been free
from them since my last rheumatism。 I use my legs as much as I can； and
you should do so too； for disuse makes them worse。 I cannot now use them
long at a time； because of the weakness of old age； but I contrive to
get； by different snatches； at least two hours' walking every day； either
in my garden or within doors； as the weather permits。 I set out to…
morrow for Bath； in hopes of half repairs； for Medea's kettle could not
give me whole ones； the timbers of my wretched vessel are too much
decayed to be fitted out again for use。 I shall see poor Harte there；
who； I am told； is in a miserable way； between some real and some
imaginary distempers。
I send you no political news； for one reason； among others； which is that
I know none。 Great expectations are raised of this session； which meets
the 11th of next month； but of what kind nobody knows； and consequently
everybody conjectures variously。 Lord Chatham comes to town to…morrow
from Bath； where he has been to refit himself for the winter campaign； he
has hitherto but an indifferent set of aides…decamp； and where he will
find better； I do not know。 Charles Townshend and he are already upon
ill terms。